This invention pertains to a coat, such as a coat for an emergency care provider, for a rescue worker, or for a firefighter, which is combined with a harness. The harness has two leg straps, which are stowable in a leg strap pocket of the coat, when the leg straps are not deployed.
Commonly, a firefighter fighting a fire in a tall building not only wears protective clothing, such as a turnout coat and bunker pants, but also wears a harness, which the firefighter can use, along with a rope or ropes, to descend from an unsafe situation.
As exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,136,724 and 5,036,548, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, it has been known to combine firefighter""s pants (trousers) and a harness, which a firefighter can don together. The harness has two leg straps, which are deployed between and around a wearer""s thighs whenever the pants (trousers) and the harness are worn.
This invention provides a coat and harness combination comprising a coat, which has a leg strap pocket, and a harness, which has two leg straps. This invention does not require the leg straps to be always deployed between and around a wearer""s thighs whenever the provided combination is worn. Rather, this invention enables the leg straps to be removably stowed in the thigh strap pocket, until such time as the wearer decides to remove the thigh straps and to deploy the thigh straps between and around the wearer""s thighs, whereby to prepare to use the harness.
Each thigh strap has a first end, at which said thigh strap is attached permanently to other portions of the harness, preferably at a rear portion of the firefighter""s coat and harness combination. Each thigh strap has a second end, at which said thigh strap is attachable detachably to other portions of the harness, preferably at a front portion of the provided combination. The thigh straps, while detached at their second ends are stowable removably in the thigh strap pocket, preferably at a rear portion of the provided combination.
Moreover, the thighs straps, when removed from the thigh strap pocket, are attachable detachably at their second ends to other portions of the harness. Preferably, the thighs straps are attached detachably at their second ends to those portions of the harness, via a connector on each thigh strap and a connector interfitting with the connector on said thigh strap. Preferably, moreover, the connectors that interfit with the connectors on the thigh straps are stowable in the side pockets when the thigh straps are not attached at their second ends.
Preferably, the coat has a flap having a first edge and a second edge. The flap is foldable along the first edge to close the thigh strap pocket and to open the thigh strap pocket. The second edge is attachable detachably to a rear portion of the coat, above the first edge, when the thigh strap pocket is closed, preferably via hook-and-loop fastening means.
The coat and harness combination provided by this invention can be advantageously worn by an emergency care worker, by a rescue worker, or by a firefighter.